Knockdown box or crate.



- 110. 786,858. y v1111111111111 APR. 11, 19.05.V y

' f y J. 11. THOMAS.

KNOOKDOWN'BOX 011 CRATE. APPLICATION FILEI) MAR. 30, 1904.'

UNITED STAT-.Es

Patented April 1-1, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

TO THE KNOOK DOWN BOX OO SYLVANIA.

MPANY, OF OONNELLSVILLE, PENN- KNOCKDOWN BOX OR CRATE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,858, dated April 11, 1905.

d Application filed March 30, 1904. Serial No` 200.764. i

To all whom t may colfbccrlfb:

Be it known that I, JOHN ROD ERICH THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knockdown Boxes or Crates, of which improvement the following is a specication.

My invention relates to an improved knockdovvn box or crate the several parts Vof which are held together without the use of nails and may be readily set up or taken apart and thepieces packed to occupy but little space for shipment; and it consists in the certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully described hereinafter.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved knockdown box, the same being constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the sides of the box.

To construct a 4box or crate in accordance with my invention, I form from suitable material, such as wood, the ends 1, the sides 2, and the bottom, rectangular in form, each of which is provided with cleats 1, 2', and 3. These pieces are all similar in form, the cleats being securely attached by nails at opposite edges, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the two sides 2 being equal in size the one with the other and the.two end pieces 1 proportioned to each other. The bottom 3 of the box is similar in form to the sides and ends above described, being provided with cleats 3 and of a suitable size, the dimensions of which correspond to that of the top 4. This top'is constructed with a loose wedgeshaped piece 5 and an angular portion 4, which when brought together will form a parallelogram, as will be seen at Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the said Wedge 5 when in position forming a means for locking all the parts of the box rigidly together.

In setting up the box the bottom piece or panel 3 is placed in a horizontal position, the

cleats 3 being upward. The side pieces 2 are 110W placed in position, the cleats 2 passed beneath the bottom 3. The end panels 1 are next set up, the cleatsof which engage with the side pieces 2 and the lower edges engaged with the cleats 3' of the bottom panel. The top is now placed in position, the Wedge-piece 5 being removed, and is h eld in position by the cleats 2 of the sides and from end movement by its own cleats 4:', which engage the tops of the end pieces l. The wedge-piece 5 is now driven tightly in position, passing beneath the top cleat 2 of the adjacent side, thus locking all the several panels together.

To take down the box, it is only necessary to remove the Wedge 5 and the parts readily disengaged the one from the other and the said parts packed in a comparatively small space for shipment.

Various slight modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore I do not Wish to confine myself to those shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A knockdown box comprisinga top and bottom having cleats on their adjacent faces, side pieces with cleats on their inner faces and adapted to engage over said top'and bottom, end pieces having cleats fixed thereto and engaging the outer faces of said side pieces, said top having an opening one edge of Which is inclined, and a wedge-shaped piece having one of its longitudinal edges at right angles to its ends and adapted to engage the inner face of said sides and the under face of the cleat thereon, the other longitudinal edge of said wedgepiece being inclined, and designed to. engage said inclined edge of the opening in said top, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN RODERIOK THOMAS.

In presence of-l JOHN GROETZINGEE, M. HUNTER. 

